Kirk Rodriguez, Managing Director
Hospitality Services

The Texas Tech residence hall system includes a variety of living options and provides convenient and affordable housing for over 8,000 students. Learning Communities provide students with the opportunity to live with others of similar interests or major. Carpenter/Wells Complex, which is arranged in three-bedroom townhouses or four-bedroom flats, offers private bedrooms in a suite-style setting. Murray Hall and Talkington Hall offer suite-style accommodations to men and women. Most suites include four private bedrooms, a common living area, and shared bathrooms. Talkington Hall includes a limited number of two-bedroom suites. West Village offers apartment style living with full kitchens and washers and dryers. Priority for assignment to Carpenter/Wells Complex and West Village A will be available to students of sophomore or higher classification. West Village B will be available to students who are 21 years of age or older. Gordon Hall is suite-style residence hall located on the northeast side of campus. The new Honors Hall is available for all students admitted to the Honors College, featuring rooms with high ceilings, large walk-in closets, and a full-service Starbucks® Coffee House on the first floor that accepts dining bucks.

Ethernet computer connections are provided in each room. All halls have WiFi throughout the building. Other services include basic cable television service with Showtime, limitless laundry rooms, study lounges, and in-hall 24-hour professional office.

An experienced and trained staff of Residence Life Coordinators and Community Advisors manage each residence hall. Each residence hall office provides assistance to residents with concerns, including maintenance requests, room and roommate assignments, and resource information.

The interests of students living on campus are promoted through the Residence Halls Association and individual hall governments. Each hall government sponsors social, cultural, educational, and recreational activities.

On-Campus Housing Requirement

On-campus housing for administration, faculty, and other university employees generally is not provided. Special permission may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

On-campus housing for married couples or individuals with children is not provided.

Registered sex offenders and students convicted of any felony are not permitted to live in university-owned housing. Information submitted is subject to verification.

In support of the Strategic Plan of Texas Tech University, the university requires enrolled first-year students to live in the university residence halls. Institutional research suggests that students who live on campus are significantly more inclined to remain in college and achieve higher GPAs in comparison to students living off campus. Compliance with the university housing policy is a condition of enrollment, as set forth in the Student Handbook and the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog and approved by the Board of Regents. Subject to verification and authorization by University Student Housing, students who meet one or more of the following criteria may be given permission to live off campus prior to moving in:

A student is residing and continues to reside in the established primary residence of her/his parents (or legal guardian) if it is within a 60-mile radius of Texas Tech University. The parents must have established their primary Lubbock residency at least six months prior to the request for an exemption. Legal guardianship must have been established by a court of law at least one year prior to the request.

A student presents sufficient evidence of an extreme financial hardship condition based on guidelines similar to those required for Financial Aid.

A student is married or has dependent children living with the student.

A student is 21 years of age or over on or before the first day of classes of the initial semester of enrollment.

A transfer student has successfully completed 30 or more semester hours of academic credit prior to the student’s enrollment or re-enrollment. Credit earned by exam (Advanced Placement, CLEP, ACT, SAT) and hours received from concurrent high school credit are not considered.

A student is awarded a university scholarship/sponsorship that is managed by a university department or college, which minimally includes the equivalence of the current academic school year’s room, board, tuition, fees, and textbooks (as estimated by the Student Financial Aid Office) during an academic school year. Upon prior approval from the managing department or college, the student may request to be exempt from living on campus. The managing department or college must provide verification in writing to University Student Housing prior to the student’s enrollment and/or re-enrollment to the university.

A student is enrolled in the Graduate School or Law School.

A student has served in active military service, as verified by a discharge certificate (DD214).

A student presents sufficient evidence of an extreme medical condition, as documented by her/his treating physician for which on-campus accommodations cannot be made.

A student presents sufficient and satisfactory evidence of extreme or unusual hardship that will be intensified by living in the residence halls.

A student has completed a full academic year (fall and spring terms) of living on campus in the Texas Tech residence halls; or provides sufficient evidence of living on campus at another university prior to off-campus residence eligibility.

A student is enrolled in online classes only.

A student is taking less than six hours during the academic year.

A student enrolled for a Texas Tech University or Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at a campus other than the Lubbock campus.

In conjunction with the university’s support of academic integrity, evidence of deliberate falsification of information, data, or any materials submitted, or providing false or erroneous information in connection with an application for exemption from the on-campus housing requirement will be grounds for disciplinary action. Such action may include, but is not limited to, revocation of a previously approved exemption, restitution of up to a semester’s room and dining plan fees, or probation, as determined by the Department of Student Judicial Services and in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct of Texas Tech University.

Students sign a University Student Housing and Hospitality Services Contract for the summer session or the academic year (fall and spring semesters). Any student wishing to move from the residence halls should consult the University Student Housing and Hospitality Services Contract or the associated Contract Guide for the provisions applicable to cancellation of the contract. Signing a lease for off-campus housing does not relieve the student of contractual obligations that may have been assumed with the university for housing in the residence halls. It is the responsibility of the student to comply with all provisions of the contract.

It is the responsibility of the student to update any incorrect information regarding place of residence with the Office of the Registrar.

No exemptions will be approved once the student has moved into the residence halls.

Housing Self-Selection

Residence halls, like all other services and facilities of Texas Tech, are available to all students regardless of race, creed, national origin, age, sex, or disability. Applications for admission to the university and applications for residence hall accommodations are separate transactions. To sign up for housing at Texas Tech, students must first be admitted to the university. Students are encouraged to sign up for housing as soon as they are notified of their admission status and receive and activate their eRaider account information. To complete the housing sign-up process, go to housing.ttu.edu and follow the instructions provided.

Students entering in the fall semester will have the opportunity to self-select specific room assignments. This process begins after current students have completed room assignment selections for the upcoming year. Spaces that are not reserved by current students will be available during the selection stage for new freshmen and transfer students. For information on dates that applications are accepted, go to housing.ttu.edu.

Because it is necessary to assign new residents to spaces made available when a limited number of students vacate at the end of the fall term, students entering the residence halls for the spring semester may only request online residence hall preferences instead of a specific room. Room assignments for spring applicants will be made to available spaces based upon the date University Student Housing receives the completed housing contract.

Students should notify University Student Housing in writing if cancellation of the application becomes necessary. Information relating to cancellation is included with the contract.

All unclaimed rooms in the residence halls will be declared vacant as of the first day of class. Students who enroll at the university but fail to claim their assigned residence hall room will be subject to the cancellation provisions stated in the section “termination of contract during occupancy” of the applicable residence hall contract.

Room and dining plan fees are due and payable by the semester and will be billed by Student Business Services. A payment plan is available. Payments must be made by the scheduled due dates to avoid delays in registration or termination of the residence hall contract. Additional remedies available to the university for non-payment of room and dining plan fees include withholding the student’s transcript of grades, diploma, and other academic records, and cancellation of enrollment.

Students with academic year contracts are charged 60 percent of the academic year room and dining plan rate for the fall semester and 40 percent for the spring semester. Students entering the residence halls for the spring semester with an academic year contract are charged 50 percent of the academic year rate.

An Initial Deposit ($400) must be paid prior to reserving a room/space in the residence halls. An Additional Deposit ($250) is required in addition to the Initial Deposit for Carpenter/Wells, Murray Hall, Gordon Hall, Talkington Hall, West Village, or the Honors Hall. The $400 Initial Deposit and $250 Additional Deposit will rollover to the next contract term or will be credited to the student’s Student Business Services account after the student moves out and damages to the room are assessed. For more information about the residence hall rates visit housing.ttu.edu/rates.

For assistance, contact Student Business Services at 806.742.3272. For questions about specific charges for a room and dining plan, contact University Student Housing at 806.742.2661.

Dining Plans

Hospitality Services provides a wide variety of fresh, healthy, and convenient dining options and plans. Dining Bucks Plans can be used in any of the all-you-care-to-eat locations, The Market food court at Stangel/Murdough featuring Fazoli’s®, the Union Plaza food court, Student Union dining outlets, The Fresh Plate food emporium at Bledsoe/Gordon, The Commons by United Supermarkets at Talkington Hall, Raider Exchange in West Village, Einstein® Bros Bagels at Rawl’s College of Business, Quiznos® at the Burkhart Center, The StrEat food truck, any Sam’s Place Mini-market, or Sam’s Express Kiosk.

Three levels of Dining Bucks Plans offer students the option of selecting the level that best fits their individual appetite and needs. For example, the Red & Black level is best for those students who consistently eat three meals per day. These plans also have plenty of flexibility for students who need late-night options and will take maximum advantage of the extensive offerings of the mini-markets. The Matador level will appeal to students who eat most meals on campus. The Matador level is the default dining plan when no plan is selected in the Residence Hall Contract. The Double T level is a choice for students who may miss meals for various reasons or work off campus. The West Village Dining Plan is exclusively available to students living in these apartments. For more information, visit the Dining Plan & Rates hospitality.ttu.edu.

Dining Bucks allow students the freedom of purchasing complete meals or between-meal snacks. Dining Bucks provide maximum flexibility for both cash operations and all-you-care-to-eat dining locations. Students will receive a preset amount of Dining Bucks per semester, and their balance will decline as they purchase meals from any of the all-you-care-to-eat dining locations or food items from cash operations such as The Market Food court at Stangel/Murdough, any of the Sam’s Place Mini-markets, or any of the food outlets in the Student Union.

Students who live off campus may purchase a Commuter Dining Plan and eat in any Hospitality Services dining location on campus. Students may choose from one of the two Commuter Dining Plans and receive a discount when they dine. They also can add their Commuter Dining Plan to their tuition statement. Visit hospitality.ttu.edu for more information on all Dining Plans.

Room and Dining Plan Rates

Rates for room and dining plans are based on a per-person charge and established by the Texas Tech University Board of Regents. Twelve-month room rates are available for Carpenter/Wells and West Village.